


Your future is my present

by Tiny_Gay_And_Mighty



Category: Carmilla (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, F/F, Laura Hollis/Carmilla Karnstein Fluff, Monster Carmilla, Panther Carmilla, Past Relationship(s), Romantic Soulmates, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Vampire Carmilla, World War II
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-06
Updated: 2019-01-28
Packaged: 2019-08-19 22:55:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 11,630
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16543898
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tiny_Gay_And_Mighty/pseuds/Tiny_Gay_And_Mighty
Summary: Carmilla has the experience of a decades old vampire, but even experience can't assure you won't be scared of anything. She is scared of the dark, the dying light of the stars, closed off spaces, her mother...but she is terrified of her destined-to be soulmate, partner, lover. That's until ballsy little Laura Hollis bursts the ancient vamire's bubble, and tries to handle all the baggage that comes with the task of putting Carmillla's heart together, while dealing with her own trauma. In the end though, everything should turn out just fine. Right?





	1. In the middle of a battle field

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Carmilla finally escapes her wooden prison. Her mind is racing a 100 miles per minute, as she runs as far away from the battlefield as possible. The thing she wasn't expecting though, was to be reunited with her long lost soulmate just after the whole shebang.

The vampire was pacing trough the cold woods of Austria. Her breath came in labored pants, and condensed into fog. Huge clouds formed with her every exhale, mixing with the morning mist. Her large paws dug into the ground, ruffling the dirt and decaying leaves, sending them in different directions, as she ran. Even if her body didn't need the oxygen, breathing was still a part of it's muscle memory. With time it had proven to be more useful than expected, because it helped Carmilla blend in with humans and animals alike, as not to scare them. No matter the stage in evolution, homo sapiens or panthera onca, fear was embodied in both mammals. Though, the opposite applied to her own kind - it only gave her away. Her breathing, her bloodlust, her odor. It all has it's own place in her list of disobedient body functions. Things she couldn't control scared her, and no amount of experience could change that. Mainly because your experience had nothing to do with things beyond your control.

The same applied to the whole reason she was running in the first place.

All sorts of creatures have wondered, if you can make a 264 year old vampire, run for the hills because of regret, sadness, and fear ( all emotions which had no place anywhere near a being of such darkness). The answer is yes, as long as it is all proceeded by decades of laying alive in a grave, punished love, and a lot, and I mean, _a lot_ of bloodshed, all supposedly the vampire's fault.

And running would be an _understatement_ in our case.

Carmilla was galloping away from the battlefield on which _hell_ had broken loose, and blood was soaking the ground. The memories of ~~Elle~~ , her past, her gawking wounds, had all become faint in comparison to the burning reminder of her mother. The ancient vampire has _most certainly_ learnt all about Carmilla's escape from her prison - and _most certainly_ sent an army of vampire toddlers to hunt her favorite daughter back. And that specific daughter had no plans involving any sort of grand return party. All she wanted was to hide away from all the chaos and destruction that awaited her back "home". All she could hear was the whirling wind in her ears, and the sound of the battle in the distance. Her senses were extremely sensitive and heightened because of her rapid healing. Everything in her body was going back into place, and rebuilding itself back to normal. When she would transform back into her human form, her skin would be soft and warm - just as new as a newborn's. It all meant a new beginning, another chance to live. At this point however, it felt mostly like a curse, rather than a blessing.

Soon the girl felt the smell of her owl blood fade, which indicated that her wounds had closed. She could feel the ground beneath her with the tips of the epidermis on her paw. It all felt new - the soft and hard parts depending on the level of moistness in the ground, the feeling of her fur being ruffled by the wind, the wet tip of her nose. They were so familiar, yet so different from the things she felt before. In time they became dull, and overused, so whenever she experienced a new beginning like this one, it was like her whole system rebooted. Under different circumstances she would be cherishing every new sensation, but right now she had to hurry the fuck up.

The sounds of breathtaking screams were starting to become barely audible as Carmilla ran further away from the butchery that had taken place on the field behind her. In their place came the welcoming sound of the waking forest-birds chirping, river running, leaves rustling. It was all too new and exiting to be true. During her time in the coffin, the vampire didn’t hear anything but her own piercing screams and the crawling of insects and other kinds of creatures around her. She was ether awake, and in record amount of pain, or asleep, in a nightmare land, of regret, sins and mistakes of her past. Only once her mind dared to let her dream of a life well lived. She never let herself remember, the sole reason being fear of disappointing herself. But as she sped trough the trees, and the cold morning fog, she experienced a whole new feeling – a feeling she had long forgotten, so _faint_ , that she wasn’t sure she had experienced it before. The feeling of _freedom_.

She finally decided to stop her mindless running, and let herself take in a new fresh breath to cherish the oxygen filling her lungs. She felt safe, no mother anywhere near, no coffin to make her ache to see the sky again, no restrains on her panther form. It all felt safe, reassuring even. She crept next to the running river skipping across the forest. It’s movement and it’s calmness made Carmilla’s muscles relax, and all the tension in her body evaporate. Slowly she stepped into the water with her front paws, and managed to get a glimpse of her distorted reflection. Her panther’s eyes were staring at her with wild passion, seeping into her soul, making her spine shiver. She slowly poked the image with the tip of her nose, which caused if to blur for a second, getting lost in little circular waves of water. In a moment it came back different than before, more human, more modest, less animalistic than the previous one. That’s when she saw herself transform into her human form. She looked new, her skin soft and blushed because of the cold. Her eyes were alive, like wild fire, a true reflection of her soul, burning deep inside her undead heart. Her hair was silky and feel in soft waves across her bare chest, dark like ash, yet still collecting all the heat that hit it’s raven surface. Her whole body was covered in dirt, dried blood and some rather fresh patches of gore, but the shine of her breathing skin could not be hid. She slowly let the water cover her entire body, cleansing her from all the filthiness over her skin, and rebooting her senses. Soon enough she came out of the river and went back to her feline form, the sense of modesty and melancholy washing over her. Even if she was alone, she felt the need to hide her human body from mother nature’s eyes, relishing the newborn sunlight, in her giant black cat’s body instead.

As soon as her whole being felt safe and sound, an entirely different kind of feeling came upon her like ice cold water.

She felt the burning sensation on her back like thunder on a bright summer day. The vampire immediately rolled on her back in order to try and shake the feeling away from her throbbing muscles. It only got more intense as her furry back came in contact with the ground beneath her, making her squirm and whimper. Her bones began to shrink in order to bring her back to a human avatar as fast as possible. Soon enough she was able to stand on her feet, and with that discovery out of the way, the poor girl launched herself into the cool water of the river she had been in, only minutes ago. The burning made the water around her boil, lit with electricity and warmth. She cried, emerging from the boiling pot that had taken the place of the cold river stream. She curled into herself, her palms covering the burnt skin on her shoulder blades, her whole body shaking as the universe threw itself at the vampire again.

Her eyes rolled to the back of her head, making her skull throb, though as soon as she lost consciousness her whole being came apart. Her soul was now a flash of colors into the universe, skipping trough light and space, desperately led by it’s desire and vulnerability. It was searching for something, _someone_. Around her she could distinguish warmth, though embodied in darkness, the feeling only made her worry. But as soon as the dark came, it was replaced by light and safety. She was surrounded by _stars_. By _beautiful_ , _vibrant_ stars, sparkling like their life depended on it. Like Carmilla’s _own_ life depended on it. The beauty of it all was yet to come though, and the ancient creature certainly wasn’t expecting it. As soon as her wander was satisfied, she noticed that despite the stars, there was another source of light. Upon looking around she realized that a bunch of other souls had gathered around her.

And then everything went **wild**.

In a blink, everything was running around again. It felt as if her heart was leading her across the open space, having it upon itself to find what it was searching for in the first place. It felt as if her emotions were twice as intense, as if they had been covered in a wrap before, and now they were finally revealed to the wonders of the world. And as colors flew by, and feeling swarmed around her being, in a flash everything was gone.

And then everything was **yellow**.

Everything was **yellow** , and **safe** , and **warm** , and **cold** , and **breathtaking**.

Everything was a **vibrant yellow** , that made Carmilla’s soul **throb** , with such intensity, that she couldn’t tell if she was in excruciating pain, or overpowered with **happiness**.

She heard the gentlest of whispers tickle the lobe of her ear.

_“I found you, my star. We meet again, and shall meet until the end of time pulls us apart.”_

_“Until time stops and we are destined to **exist as one**.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Huummmmm, welp, this is here now, hello.  
> tumblr: ari-is-a-bitchwitch  
> Please do share your opinions on this chapter in the comments, cause critique is what helps me write the most. See you next chapterrrr!


	2. On the other side of the universe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A tiny Laura Hollis had been waiting for her parents for hours, alone at home. She had been sitting in front of a lit fireplace, trying to calm herself down until a phone call had snapped her out of her thoughts. The little girl's heart had gone to her toes as the woman on the other side told her her mom and dad weren't coming home tonight. (and, Laura's marking of course, had to add something nice after all the angst)

The little girl was sitting in front of a fireplace. Flames danced around, filling the entire room with a dim warm light, as oranges, reds and yellows of all hues shivered around the wood underneath. On top of the fireplace hung three giant stockings, still empty of contents, while in the back of the room proudly stood a tall fir, covered in fairy lights and golden garland. A big star topped the tree, making it spread the spirit of the girl’s favorite holiday, all around the room. A steaming cup of hot cocoa warmed Laura’s hands, meanwhile spreading it’s warm aroma all around her. Books like “ _The Night Before Christmas_ ” and “ _The Polar Express_ ” sat in front of her, begging for her to just open them and read them.

But she didn’t. She wanted to read them with her mom, while her dad sat beside her with his own cup of chocolaty goodness, and kept Laura in a big bear hug throughout both stories. Like they always did, every year leading up to this one.

But her parents still weren’t home. It had been almost two hours since they left the house last, and they still hadn’t returned. All she could do though, was sit as her tummy twisted with nervousness, and wait for them. Outside, a blizzard was making a mess in the streets of Toronto. It had begun around noon, and Laura was so happy because, duh, snow for Christmas. But now, she wasn’t so sure if she liked it anymore, because it only made her worry more. What if her mom and dad had gotten lost? Or what if a big polar bear had caught them, and was now trying to get to her too? She knew that no polar bears could end up anywhere near where she lived but, still. Suddenly her thoughts were interrupted by the phone ringing. Laura whipped her head around to see where the ring was coming from, and all but jumped to her feet in order to get to the old telephone on the dining table. She grabbed the handle and lifted it to her ear, immediately halting the annoying noise.

“Hello? Who is this?” – the child shyly asked, holding the handle with both her hands.

“Hello there, are you Laura Hollis?” – the voice of a woman hit the tiny girl’s ears.

“Yes, that’s me.” – she reluctantly replied, the nervousness nested in her stomach again.

The woman signed and slowly stared to talk again – “ Sweetheart..t-there was and accident.. involving your mom and dad..and..” – she stopped for a second – “ they were very badly injured…”. Laura’s eyes started to water and a single tear rolled down her cheeks as she shivered, her grip on the phone so tight, that the girl’s knuckles turned white.

“Honey, we have sent an ambulance to come pick you up from home, ok? I promise it’s going to be alright, just wait where you are, and don’t leave the house before they come, alright?” – the lady was talking faster now, and Laura could catch a bit of panic in her voice.

“O-ok..” – the child’s voice came out watery and defeated, but it seemed good enough for the woman on the other side.

“The ambulance will arrive in no time, don’t worry.”- was all the lady said, before three loud beeps indicated the end of the call.

Laura dropped the handle of the phone on the ground, and ran upstairs to her room, in search of her yellow pillow. Tears sprang free, followed by a loud cry, as she hid her head in the pillow, feeling all her feelings wash over her. With red eyes, and a quivering lip, she sat up from her bed, still holding her only source of comfort, and ran back downstairs. Her knees were wobbly, and her heart was racing in her chest, but she had to wait for the ambulance to come. It was all Laura wanted.

She quickly grabbed the two books in front of the fireplace, and stuffed them into the backpack she had prepared for the hospital. She put a thermos filled with hot chocolate, so that when she got there, she could give some to her parents. All she wanted, was for them to be alright, and no teary eyes, nor scared cries would help that. A few minutes later, a knock echoed trough the house, and Laura ran across the hallway in order to get to the door as fast as possible. She all but yanked it open, and jumped outside, where two men, and a woman dressed in white winter jackets with a red cross on the front were waiting for her.

They quickly helped her inside the ambulance, and sped off towards the hospital. As soon as they got there, Laura was led into the tall building, and rushed to a waiting room. She was all by herself, after two nurses told her to wait in the room for a bit, until they came back to get her. The girl was holding onto her pillow, as it if her life depended on it, as she quietly cried, with her face buried deep into the comforter. She needed her mom. She needed her dad. She needed them both here, and she couldn’t face the thought of loosing them. She just couldn’t, and she wasn’t willing to try. Her heart was beating like crazy, as she trembled all alone in the room, listening to the worried voices outside whisper unrecognizable words. Loud steps echoed outside every now and then, making the hair on the back of Laura’s neck rise. In a few painfully long minutes filled with anticipation, a tall man with a coat, came into the waiting room. Laura’s eyes shot right to him, as he opened the door and stepped in.

“Hey there, Laura, was it?” – he talked slowly and cautiously, with a tone of panic in his voice.

Laura kept her head low, but nodded in return to his question. She couldn’t face looking another person in the eyes right now.

“I am doctor Smith.” – he took a step forward, the panic in his voice gone. – “ I am here to inform you, that your dad just came out of surgery, and is doing just fine.”

Laura lifted her head and hugged the yellow pillow to her chest. – “ Can I see him? I really want to see him.”- Doctor Smith nodded in response.

He helped her up, and took her hand to lead her out into the hallway. – “ Don’t be alarmed by his bandages, he is doing just alright, but probably won’t wake up for another two hours or so.” – he explained as they rounded another corridor, to room 207.

“He is in here.” – the doctor calmly said and opened the door, for Laura to enter. She swallowed the ball of nervousness in her throat, and took a few steps into the room, closing her eyes to take a deep breath. She swallowed the ball of nervousness in her throat, and took a few steps into the room, closing her eyes to take a deep breath. The tiny girl opened them again, and looked at her dad from the other side of the room. He had a big bandage over his forehead, which had a big bloody spot on the side. His left ear had stitches along the side, and his right eye had bruised and swollen badly. His right arm and leg, were in a cast, and the longer limb was hooked into the air. Needless to say, Laura’s gasp was evident and the tears in her eyes had returned. She quickly walked to the side of his bed, and looked over him with a quivering lip. Her hand went to her dad’s forearm, as she slowly embraced his left hand, silent tears rolling down her face. The doctor had left the room, to leave the poor girl and her dad alone, or to attend to Laura’s mom probably. Laura didn’t know. All she knew was that she wasn’t going to let go of her pop’s hand until he woke up. Until she knew for a fact that he was alive, and well.

Laura had fallen asleep in the chair next to her dad’s bed after almost an hour of silently crying and talking to her father. He hadn’t woken up yet, but it helped her calm down a bit, since her shivers still hadn’t stopped. Suddenly she felt movement, which woke her up immediately. Her dad’s eyes were fluttering open, and Laura all but jumped off the chair as soon as she saw him, her face filled with panic and shock. He slowly brought his left hand to his eye, and rubbed at it until all the tiredness left his body. Confused and rather lost, he looked around the room to register his surroundings. His eyes soon landed on Laura, and he saw her tear stained cheeks and quivering lip, which in turn made him bolt awake in alarm.

“Laur, why are you crying—“ – he was interrupted by Laura literally throwing herself at her dad, and holding onto him like her life depended on it. – “ Dad! You are awake, you are ok! I was so scared, cause you and mom weren’t coming home, and then this lady called me, and she told me there was an accident and—“ – her ramble was interrupted by her dad who’s face changed from confused to panicked.

“Laur, where is your mom? Have you seen her?” – his voice was laced with panic and fear.

“No, doctor Smith didn’t say anything about her earlier.” – Laura’s eyes started to water again. But before she could get anymore words out, the doctor came into the room.

His face showed nothing but panic and sadness, and it made both Sherman, and Laura alike, stop dead in their tracks. Dr. Smith looked at both of them for a second before returning his gaze to the papers in his hands.

“Laura, Mr. Sherman…I am here to inform you that Eileen Hollis…didn’t make it trough the surgery.” – that was all Laura needed to hear before she stormed out of the room in tears. She could hear faint voices in the distance calling her name, but she didn’t stop running. She kept her yellow pillow close to her chest, as angry tears ran down her cheeks, for the umpteenth time tonight. The girl’s feet led her outside in the blizzard, where she fell down on her knees, unable to stand anymore. She screamed, but all that could be heard was white noise, her cries muted by the wind in her ears. Her tears fell down in consistent streams down her red cheeks, as she trembled, and held the yellow pillow to her chest, which rose and fell rapidly as she started to hyperventilate. Her ears were ringing, and all she could feel was constant numbness, not from the cold, but rather from her soul. She thrashed her limbs as two pairs of hands grabbed her, and tried to bring her back inside, since she wouldn't go on her own. She didn’t want to go back there. Laura couldn’t be anywhere near her mother’s body, which was now lying somewhere in the building, going cold, while the life that had been there moments before, was fading away from it. The thought of it made a new wave of emotions wash over Laura, followed by screams and cries, bouncing off the walls of the hospital. She couldn’t bare what the universe had sent her way. Her soul, barely keeping it’s self alive, was throbbing with hurt, sadness and pain.

The following month after her mother’s death, wasn’t any better. Her dad could barely walk around because of his casts, and both of them didn’t leave the house for over three weeks. They couldn’t bare the outside world, nor the grief that came with Eileen’s death. The house didn’t feel like home anymore, it felt more like a prison, more than anything. It was filled with memories, and reminders of Laura’s beloved mother, but both the girl and her dad couldn’t bring themselves to talk about it. On the woman’s funeral, only a few family members were invited, and two- three close friends of theirs. They didn’t talk after, and got it over with as fast as possible. Laura and Sherman couldn’t bare it for long.

As time went on, things started going back to normal. The tension in the house evaporated, and the two family members began to make up for the lost time together. They watched movies together, cooked together, and over all started to function as a family again. Laura soon went back to school, and started talking to her friends for the first time in months. Things were going well, and even though, something was still missing from Laura’s life, that didn’t stop her from living it regardless.

She grew up, moved into high school, where everything was new and exiting for her. She realized she was gay, when she had her first crush on a girl in her drawing class. People around her were starting to get their soul marks, and find their partners, but ballsy Laura Hollis wasn’t worried. She knew her time would come, and it would all fit into place. Soon she started to dream of her soulmate. She didn’t see her of course, but she could feel her. The girl’s soul would talk to her in the witching hours of the night, to comfort Laura when she got upset over something, or missed her mother. She was so kind, and made Laura’s heart fill with joy whenever the girl felt the soul’s presence.

**On the 25th of October, it happened.**

Laura was in the shower, washing shampoo off her hair, when a burning sensation on her back made her gasp in pain. Her eyes went wide as she felt her shoulder blades hiss under the water hitting them. Laura cried out as she collapsed into herself, holding her knees to her chest, trying to shove the pain away, but it only grew _stronger_ as she came in contact with the ground. Her muscles _throbbed_ , and her soul _ached_ inside her chest, making the poor girl _wail_ in pain. Her father had gone out to dinner with a few colleagues, and had left her alone for the night. She wished they had rescheduled it, cause holly _Hufflepuff_ , did it sting!

“ Fuck— _Jeasus_ this hurts!” – Laura bit her lower lip to prevent herself from screaming again, as her soul shook her whole body. She could feel herself loosing consciousness, but she didn’t fight it-her dad had told her to let it take over, and she wasn’t going to argue. Soon enough, her eyes rolled to the back of her head, and her mind went black. Laura’s soul flew out of the girl’s body, and started racing in the dark. It was galloping trough space and time at a pace unknown to human kind, speeding across the universe. Soon the darkness was replaced but flickers of light, here and there-the soul went past the them so quickly, that Laura wasn’t certain she had seen then in the first place. In a flash, her soul came to a halt.

That’s when it all hit Laura.

The pure beauty of it all made her essence shiver in adoration.

She could see _stars_. _Energy, light, constellations_. It was all covered in the colors of the galaxy- there were vibrant blues, pinks, purples. All sorts of colors forged into one, making a whole new hue-so _bright_ , so _innocent_ and _beautiful_ , that it made Laura’s heart stop.

Then everything went **rigid**.

Colors were floating around her, making her head spin. She soon discovered, that those were all other souls. And at that moment, her soul filled with determination, passion and desire of all sorts, as it ran trough the crowd, in search for something- someone. In a flash everything stopped.

And then everything was **red**.

Everything was **red** , and **mysterious** , and **confident** , and so **god darn passionate** , that it made Laura’s soul **tremble**. The girl couldn’t tell if she was falling apart, or being put together, as her feelings **exploded** into a series of happiness and pain. Her soul tangled itself with it’s other part, and started whispering to the **red** essence, that was Laura’s **soulmate**.

_“I found you, my star. We meet again, and shall meet until the end of time pulls us apart.” The other soul grazed the girl’s hearing with the most beautiful, raspy voice that Laura had ever heard._

_“Until time stops and we are destined to **exist as one** ”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welp. This turned out longer than expected hah. First time writing something sad, so like, yeah sorry if it didn't manage to make you cry. Thanks so much for reading this hell of a chapter. If you got any ideas or recommendations for the next one, please do share in the comments, or my tumblr ( ari-is-a-bitchwitch ). See ya next time my fellow creampuffs


	3. Connection at last

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Carmilla experiencing all the events Laura's soul is going trough. Birth, emotions, the marking. Everything comes into place as soon as the final connection between the souls takes place. At least until they meet in person, of course.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to learn more about soulmates, soul-marks, "the marking" and so on, head to the end of the chapter for info.

The wind was howling outside of the little old cabin. The wooden walls of the building were barely holding it together, as the arctic cyclone pushed it back and forth. The windows were covered in layers of old frost, atop of which now nested brand new snow. The only source of heat, was the fire burning on the other end of the room, in which Carmilla had decided to waste the night in. She hadn’t lit the fireplace for warmth, since her body didn’t need it to circulate blood, it simply wasn’t a necessity in such sense. It was more of a mental reminder, and a comforter, because of its light. It chased away the dark with its dying flame. After all, she needed to catch up on some glow, with all her time spent in supposedly endless darkness.

Her mother had found her. And all that the vampire could have done was to obey, as the woman gave her order, after order, for the girl to “redeem” herself as part of the cult her mother called family. She couldn’t let herself be put in the ground again. Or at least, she saved it for a special occasion.

Carmilla had long stopped chasing after hopeless love, since it simply wasn’t her thing no more. After Ell, she lost all of her dreams of a normal life, a life well lived. As long as the ground of the Earth touched her feet, she was under her creator’s unwavering gaze, and said creator, would never gift its child free rein. She simply wasn’t made with such purpose. Her anatomy was perfect, her gaze filled with passion, her fangs sharp as the pain they caused. It was all part of the whole reason she was chosen for a vampire. The ways of the creatures were simple – seduce, catch, feed. But despite her nature, Carmilla had a more human side of her as well, a side her mother could not see despite the girl’s endless tries. She had a soul.

A soul, tied to another, in endless beautiful space. It was a miracle, to say the least. No creature outside of the living realm should be tied to another. No flowing blood, no beating heart, but a soul so alive, that it made the undead body’s essence spur with energy and determination. It was unusual, and it made the other creatures hiss in disapproval. But it made her a predator. It made her a mad threat. A mad, lonely, loveless body, that should have been as hollow as a dead olive tree, but here it was. A soul filling all the otherwise, empty space in her chest and heart.

A damned soul. No being of such innocence should be tied to one of such darkness, and it made Carmilla pity her present from the universe. The soul had been so young, when it was first gifted to the vampire. So powerful, so mighty, so determined to find its love. But the years passed and no marking took place. Years, decades, centuries. The soul became old. It had seen the ways of the unforgiving world, in which it lived. A loveless world, a world deprived of promises, of gentle touches, of a soulmate. With every passing day that had taken place before Carmilla’s burial, it ached to find its purpose in such world.

But that was until it was caged in a coffin for the better part of a century.

And that was until it had finally escaped from its unforgiving prison underneath the ground.

Until it was snatched off its feet, and taken back to its home, just to be given the chance to find its long lost love.

That’s when it found its purpose, as it’s young, brave, kind and breathtaking love intertwined its limbs with the old, deprived and cowardly soul. And it loved it otherwise. The souls that had been away from each other for so long, had been waiting.

And even if the young soul still hadn’t been born, it gave the old one hope. It could wait now, it was tied.

On the 25th of October, 1995 everything changed.

Carmilla awoke in her bed, sweating with her soul throbbing. She could feel her back burning, but not with pain, like it had the first time. This time in burned with love, happiness, and desire. Her soul was rooting for it’s other half.

After decades of silence, she could finally feel the other soul’s emotions send waves up her spine.

She was so happy, that she started crying. She cried, as she felt the other soul being born. She cried, as she felt it flutter when it first opened its eyes. She cried when she felt every one of its emotions pass trough her.

And now she cried in front of the fireplace, as she felt the soul throb with sadness and grief. It was restless all night, as the blizzard wailed outside of the cabin. The soul sent waves of new emotions every now and then, but it also had the constant white noise that was panic and fear of the unknown. And Carmilla hated it all. She hated having to be a bystander, and not being able to send happiness and love in the soul’s direction.

The girl whose soul Carmilla adored, still hadn’t gone trough the marking, and it couldn’t experience Carmilla’s emotions. She knew that since the marking hadn’t taken place in a specific time, it would come to the girl, the same way it came to her. It would just take place again, without Carmilla’s presence. It had already been recorded in her history, so it couldn’t repeat.

**On the 25 th of October, exactly 18 years later, it happened for the third time.**

Carmilla was walking trough the streets of Rome, after she had finished one of her mother’s orders. Her boots were clicking against the stone sidewalk, with every tired step she took. The brunette’s intentions were to go catch a quick snack, since she hadn’t felt the familiar copper taste in her mouth all day. The vampire had to seduce two more baits for her cult’s rituals. The dark haired girl never attended them, but in return for being excused out of the creepy god offerings, she had to catch their sacrificial “goats”. And feeding her lifeless body always came first on her to-do list, when she had free time on her hands.

The warmth of the mid-autumn night, made her feel unusual tiredness in her bones, but it didn’t stop her from wandering the empty streets in search for a meal. Soon enough, she caught a calm heartbeat, somewhere near her. It echoed in her ear drums with every stable beat, as it led her trough the dim lit public roads of Italy. The vampire’s fangs instinctively grew out of her upper gums, and took their place over her human canines. Her senses increased their capacity, and adjusted to the heartbeat, that was growing louder and louder in Carmilla’s ears, with every step. In moments like these, a more predatory, carnivore side of the vampire came over her otherwise, collected self. Not long after, she rounded a building and spotted her pray – a woman in her thirties, with platinum blond hair, probably bleached. She was smoking a cigarette, taking long, lung-full puffs, filling her organs with poisonous air. In such circumstances, Carmilla usually went to find a new candidate for her diner, but she had been wandering long enough, and she was hungry.

Slowly she approached the poor woman, and prepared to attack – her fangs out and proud for the world to see, her stance, predatory, mimicking the one of a feline, and her steps, quiet, as not to alarm her pray. It all felt so natural, yet so sickening to the vampire. But those were her kind’s ways, and she couldn’t rearrange her corrupted DNA.

As the blonde exhaled, and got rid of the smoke filling her lungs, Carmilla lunged herself at her throat, perfectly piercing the carotid vain, hiding under soft pale skin. As the woman’s lungs filled with air, preparing to let out a panicked scream, the vampire clasped her hand over the victim’s mouth, and held it in place, meanwhile filling her own with fresh warm liquid. As she ascended her fangs back into her gums, and started to suck on the freshly opened wounds, taking mouthfuls of blood into her system.

After about three gulps though, she felt jarring pain in her shoulder blades. The same she had felt twice already. Her hands instinctively went to hold her shoulders, letting go of the woman. As soon as the victim was freed, it let out a piercing scream, which probably had the capacity to wake up the entire neighborhood. Carmilla sent a death glare in the blonde’s direction, as she bend over and started panting in pain, her muscles throbbing, and her eyes closed shut. With all the energy she could muster, she teleported back to the town square, and fell to her knees, grabbing at the burning skin on her back.

“How the fuck do you have the _audacity_ —“– her ranting was interrupted by a gasp, followed by a silent scream.-“To stop me in the middle of a _meal_ , sweetheart? “– her mouth closed shut to avoid screaming to the heavens, after another wave of pain shot trough her body.

 “This time it’s for real, huh? Took your time for sure, buttercup.” – Her shoulders shook violently as she experienced her own pain, combined with her soulmate’s. Her fangs emerged instinctively, at the amount of distress the vampire was in. She needed to be alone, and she needed it now.

  
With the last amount of energy she had left, she teleported back to her cabin, all the way in Austria, which of course drained her of her last drop of strength. All she could do was drop to the cold wooden floor of the little house, and wait paralyzed, as she trembled and her soul ached. The girl couldn’t loose consciousness, since her soul had already met with it’s long lost lover, but she had to experience the pain of said lover. It was combined with the longing her soul had for it’s match, since the red soul couldn’t be there for the grand moment. As silent tears fell down to the grown, Carmillas’s vision blurred, and static danced across her eyesight. It was an experience close to sleep paralysis, or rather a lucid dream.

After about five minutes, the pain started to slowly subside, the tips of her fingers regaining their movement, and her eyelids blinking away tears.

For the first time, she could share her emotions with her soulmate.   
  
All of her _feelings_ , all of her _emotions_ , all of her _adoration_ for the girl’s soul.

It was so wonderful, and so fulfilling. Her soul could finally rest. It deserved a break after the centuries of heartbreak and insecurity. It though it would never be able to reconnect with it’s other half, and now that the duo was finally at ease, it could breathe for the first time in forever. Carmilla’s body got back it’s control, but she didn’t get up from the floor of her cabin. All she did was hug her knees to her chest, and let her body receive all the positive energy from her soulmate. It was so happy, so exited, so new to the person on the other side.

In return, the vampire’s soul sent back security, adoration and care, to ground the floating heart of the girl on the other side. It felt silly, sending feelings back and forth, like a telegram, but it meant the whole world to the brunette. She felt herself take in a deep breath, and relax at her soulmates gentle fingertips all over he skin. It felt like waves of happiness were washing over her. So calm, yet exited at the same time.

For the first time in a very long while, she felt like she _belonged_.

Like she found her _purpose_.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Had to write about Carmilla's experiences, cause I really wanted to portray her position in this whole mess of a marking. Sorry for repeating the same events, the actual story will begin in a bit. Just had to get the plot out of the way. So for anybody that doesn't get how this au works, here is the "manual":  
> So a person can be born with soulmate, but they don't know for sure, until they are marked. Being "marked" is basically the whole universe, space, soul Dr. Who travel thing that happened in the first two chapters. So, the marking takes place in no specific time in a person's life, but it has to happen before they are 18. (Laura met Carm's soul just a day before she turned 18, cause yeah, fancy). And afterwards you only know where your soul-mark will be, based of a specific sensation you feel on your skin (burning, freezing, bubbling, etc.), in this case burning. You get the mark, after you meet your soulmate, but the process is called "the final sign", and not "the marking". Don't confuse the two, one takes time on a much earlier stage. So yeah, if you got any questions, do ask in the comments, and as always, see you next chapter!


	4. The echo of a whisper

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The night after the marking, cause you can never have too much fluff

Laura’s eyes finally stopped moving behind her eyelids. Her soul came back to its body and awoke it from its slumber. The girl’s skin was covered in goose bumps, and her back’s muscles were aching. Her eyes opened with a gasp and her hands slowly went to her shoulder blades, where the burning was fading slowly. Laura stood up from her position on the floor of the shower, and turned the running water off. She slowly walked out from behind the curtains, and looked at the mirror on the wall ahead of her. She was _glowing_.

Despite the tear tracks and red eyes, and her pale face, it was obvious the girl was filled with joy. Her eyes, though tired, shone with hope and adoration, pouring deep within her soul. Her skin was glowing, with a holy like glow. It was all so beautiful, and it made her giddy with happiness and excitement.

She slowly turned around, to look at the scars on her back. Before the marking, they had been barely visible, and instead of the huge spots that covered her exposed skin, there were tiny pecks of white flesh. Now, there were all sorts of colored skin, heavy and light bruises, and white fading scars. Yellow, purple, red and blue covered her shoulder blades. She could look at it for hours at a time, just to marble all the beauty skinning from within her soul, which’s art, was now painted on her skin. A reminder of her lover – to be’s soul.

As she was examining her back, she felt the lightest of flutters running down and up her spine. It made her expression change to a shocked one in a split second, and a few tears stream down her face. It was her soulmate sending her feelings.

As the majority of people with soulmates, she had head that you could send emotions back and forth between the souls – It was one of the perks of having a partner of such. Laura ran her fingertips gently over her shoulder blades and her arms, making sure she put all the care and affection she had at the moment, right into her slow caresses on her skin. Slowly she closed her eyes and gave into the feeling, marveling the echo of the emotion rumbling in her soul, a whisper of some kind. She held the though for another second before letting it go, sending it to the soul waiting for her response. Not a second later she felt her heart skip a beat, and an astonishing amount of nostalgia and melancholy washed over her, making the hair on her skin rise. The tiny girl didn’t waste a second sending back a reassuring and gentle pull of the strings on her other half’s heart.   
  
As the duo sent back all sorts of sensations, making each other rather sensitive, Laura got herself dried up and dressed, preparing for a sleepless night. She knew for a fact that after the marking, the two souls would be rather restless, making their bodies unable to function properly – a world full of so many new sensations could not be missed for a second, in the inhabitants’ opinion. The tiny Laura Hollis didn’t mind one bit though, as she clumsily walked down the hall to her room, swaying as if in a trance. Her senses were all wacky and useless, making her eyesight blur and her hearing get all out of order. One second she could see and hear everything crystal clear, the other she couldn’t distinguish her door from her wall. Even with a rather high level of difficulty, she managed to get into her room, to the safety of her bed. The tired girl flopped down, face first into the mattress, smiling with the brightest smile she has made in a while.

The rest of the night was spent as expected.

Gentle caresses sent back and forth, feelings of joy and passion, dedication and determination, accompanied by the gentlest of touches. To say it was satisfactory for the duo would be an understatement.   
  
Laura giggled to herself, each time she felt even the lightest of tingles come from her soul.

Carmilla on the other hand, wept tears of joy, goose bumps all over her skin, and heart throbbing with affection. She could barely manage to contain her emotions at bay, and for the most part, she didn’t really want to. All the vampire wanted to do was to get out of her cabin and just run and run across the woods, until her nerves calmed down and her tears stopped dampening her cheeks.

So she did.

Carmilla got up from her position on the cold ground and went out in the even colder blizzard outside. She didn’t care if her clothes got wet, or the tips of her ears got red and tingly. She didn’t care about a thing in the world.

As long as the girl had her soulmate, everything would be fine. 

And she screamed, and she ran, and she laughed, and she cried. Like a total psychopath. A psychopath in love, none the less. All of her joy and admiration had a one way ticket to Laura, who was wide eyed and frankly, very surprised at her other half’s messages.

She had to remember to ask her soulmate about it when they met. Her inner journalist couldn’t be contained, to no surprise. All she could do was to sit in awe, as her soul went off with such intense emotions, she herself hadn’t felt before, even in the unfortunate events her life had cooked up in the past. But despite all of her background, Laura felt lucky.

She had a soulmate.

She had a father.

And now, she had a future. A future, filled with joy, with wonder, with adventure, and with red.

Holly hufflepuff, she couldn’t wait for the red. She had gotten custom to it, for no more than two hours, and it had already taken up her entire heart, which she happily allowed. Her soul and mind were at ease, knowing that she was now a step closer to what she had wanted, and dreaded for the longest of time - her destined lover. It all felt like a dream to the girl, but a dream she would gladly accept to keep on living within, for the rest of her days.

That night, Laura fell asleep with the though of her soulmate on her mind, and a slow stream of calm being sent trough her soul, to it’s other half. Her dreams were filled with bright warm colors, in between which, there always hid the sharp dark red, that had become her favorite color (after the yellow on her iconic pillow, of course). She could hear the music and the art the two souls made just by being together again, and it made her feel so much adoration and fascination towards herself, that it was unbelievable. She couldn’t imagine ever being happier. Boy, was she in for a wild ride.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, you perfect human. You are probably thinking "OI DICKHEAD, WTF WERE YOU DOING THESE TWO WEEKS IN WHICH YOU DIDN'T POST A SINGLE UPDATE". Well, before you take out your pitchforks, please let me explain and apologize. So, I actually started this chapter a little after I finished the last one, but because of my fucked up pc, I lost an almost finished chapter, That led to a little bit of a writers block, but nothing that couldn't be fixed in about five days. So, after a little break, I sat down again, and started re-writing this chapter. After I finished it, we had some problems with the internet at home, so i couldn't post it for another two days. Anddd then, after that, I sort of procrastinated cause I spent all my time playing guitar and writing my homework, instead of doing what I REALLY should have been doing - giving you guys an update, cause you are the best.   
> Btw, thank you SO much for 500+ reads. We are barely at the beginning of this wild ride,, and you are already buckled up and ready, and i couldn't ask anything better. This fandom has been my home for quite some time now, so yeah, it feels so nice to have somebody actually enjoy my additions to the community. Have the bestest of days, as usual, and see you next chapter! <3
> 
> Tumblr: ari-is-a-bitchwitch  
> Comments are always appreciated


	5. I want you here, where you belong

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fluff, more fluff, ANGST

_Wake up._

 

_Wake up and see._

_Wake up and feel._

_I will be there trough all of it._

Laura’s eyelids gently fluttered as she came back from the dream world she had been living in, for the past few hours. The girl had barely managed to have four hours of sleep in between her soulmate’s shenanigans. She had been woken up, no less than five times all trough out the night, just because apparently, the girl on the other side had been too exited to let anybody have their peace for more than an hour. Not that Laura was complaining of course, she too, had been extremely giddy and smiley, after last night’s events.

\----------

_Gentle caresses sent back and forth, feelings of joy and passion, dedication and determination, accompanied by the gentlest of touches. To say it was satisfactory for the duo would be an understatement.  
_\----------

_Her dreams were filled with bright warm colors, in between which, there always hid the sharp dark red that had become her favorite color (after the yellow on her iconic pillow, of course)._

\----------

 Slowly her body came back to its senses, though the glamour of the dream trance she had been in was still washing over her. Her nose scrunched up as the hairs on the back of her neck stood up. As if they were in sync with something. Breathing, a heartbeat, maybe. A soft wave of warmth went up and down her skin like an echo. Like a soft purr, a hum, gently awaking the girl. It was like the chill of early summer nights, yet still warm enough to keep you underwater, away from full consciousness. It was fresh and heavy and it made Laura’s spine straighten, her muscles pulsing with the blood that pooled in between her cells. It reminded her of the bruises and scars proudly sitting on her shoulders, back and neck.

 

As Laura opened her eyes and stared at her bedroom ceiling, specks of green, red and blue blurred over her eyesight. They slowly faded, mixing with the soft cyan colored paint, leaving the girl’s mind empty. She took a deep breath, filling her lungs to the rim with oxygen, followed by a fast exhale. Then a giggle.

 

And a smile, growing into a full on laugh.

 

_Best wake up call ever._

\----------

 

Laura got up from her bed earlier than usual. The sun had barely started to share its rays and the birds had just begun to sing their morning songs. Unlike the sun or the birds, our good-for-nothing gay wasn’t in the middle of any productive activities, and had no plans on starting anything for the next few days. At least not before the aftershocks of the marking subsided.

 

Usually the week following two souls’ marking was a rather dull time to be up to new and exiting adventures. One’s physical form was no less a mess then their mental one, which was one of the reasons that people usually didn’t like being around freshly marked souls. The poor love-sick dummies had the mood swings of a pregnant woman, the sleep schedule of a wild cat, and the appetite of a hungry wolf.

 

Laura was no exception.

 

The girl could hardly be registered as awake, her mind going at a whole other pace, her body’s limbs barely collaborating with the gay’s brain. If you didn’t know any better you’d assume she was a “The Walking Dead” cast member. Even with all those complications and the girl’s natural clumsiness, Laura managed to get into a baggy shirt and sweatpants, and brush her hair, that at the time resembled a nest. Her bare feet led her to the kitchen, as if automatically heading for the queen of treats – cookies.

 

Laura’s nutrition was usually the last thing she cared about when it came to food intake. The girl told herself that as long as it was tasty, she could eat it. Somehow, she had managed to keep up a yoga routine, which kept her in pretty good form, surprisingly. As she munched on some of her favorite chocolate chip cookies, she drank dry what seamed like a gallon of coco. Apparently the coco had been a bit too hot, which went unnoticed by Laura up until she already had a mouth full of it. She choked on the hot liquid, spitting part of it in the sink next to her, the other part swallowing much to her stomach’s dismay. She had somehow managed to accidently send, the whole pile of otherwise, confusing events, without and explanation straight to the soulmate hotline.

 

That to no surprise, had startled the receiver on the other end.

 

Carmilla’s eyes had snapped open at the cold wave of unpleasant emotions sent up her spine. She felt the ghost of goose bums over her skin, and the hairs on the back of her neck settling down into their normal position. Her eyes quickly scanned the walls of her familiar cabin, and finally settled on the fireplace where you the brunette could still spot a few specks of light pulse at the pit of the already burnt ashes. Her hands went to her back as she felt the last aftershocks of the feelings her soulmate had felt.

 

An itchy burning. Upset stomach. Sensitive nerves. Rapid movements.

 

Panic found it’s way up in Carmilla’s mind.

 

What if her other half was hurt?

 

As the emotions went trough the vampire’s conscious thoughts, her unconscious ones decided that sending the panic to Carmilla’s soulmate would fix their problems.

 

And obviously it didn’t.

 

Laura immediately felt the guilt stir in the bottom of her stomach. She by all means, didn’t intend on making her beloved feel bad. Her eyebrows knit together as she took a deep breath and calmed the itch on the top of her tongue. Her hands traced the path of her spine, sending apologies to the girl on the other side.

 

It all felt ridiculous.

 

The two soulmates couldn’t have a moment of peace.

 

At all felt so new and so exiting to the duo, that they couldn’t help but fall for all the wonders of their newfound ability to communicate. They sent each other messages back and forth non stop, too afraid that if they stopped, the magic connecting them would somehow fade. The fear came more on the behalf of the vampire, though shared by the young girl on the other side.

 

All trough out the following week, they shared everything worth shearing with each other.

 

\----------

 

Laura knew she should tell her dad. She knew, yet she still found excuses for herself.

 

How would Sherman react? Would her freak out, and get over protective, or would he get exited for his little girl?

 

The girl didn’t know, and she really wasn’t in the rush to find out.

 

What if her starts worrying about the person on the other end of the “soulmate hotline”?

 

He has always voiced his concerns, usually in the realm of “what if he is a drug dealer, or-or-or, or he is in a _punk band_?!”. Well, it was not a _he_ , and Laura had known for a pretty long time now. Plus, in our little gay’s mind, a little leather and black on black fashion, just added to a person.

 

She hadn’t told her dad about her sexuality yet, which only added to her pile of reasons, not to tell him anything _at all_.

 

Laura knew he wouldn’t care, yet it just couldn’t get to her mind.

 

Plus, he had to find out eventually, _right_?

And she quietly managed to get trough two nights of hiding it, biting her tongue every time her dad patted her on the back or hugged her, and having to look like she wasn’t on fire every time her soulmate sent a shiver up her spine. But she could keep it hidden only for so long, before it all burst out.  
  
\----------

 

Carmilla knew it.  
  
Carmilla knew it would happen.  
  
She knew she couldn’t keep it hidden any longer.  
  
Her mind was racing, as she felt it all.  
  
The ground was shaking with the footsteps of many.

 

Her mother knew.  
  
She always knew everything, to even the tiniest detail, leaving no privacy and security in her wake.  
  
And now, she had sent an army, to kill off any idea of such privilege as privacy, that Carmilla had no right over.

 

All the vampire could do was sent millions of apologies, and guilt filled cries to her soulmate, as she gripped the handle of the old wooden door of her cabin.  
  
She couldn’t hide any longer, couldn’t stand hiding any longer.

 

This time, she had to go to war.

  
            ----------

 

Her paws scraped the cold ground, once again, for the first time since all this mess was stirred up. Her breath came out raged and filled with agony, as she skipped over soft snow and ice, leaving only smudged paw marks in her path.  
  
The panther’s fur was on its ends, the sound of distant thunderous screams, striking her heart alive. The vampire couldn’t get over the irony of it all. Had someone told her, that one of the worst yet, best days in her life would happen again, she would have just laughed at their face.  
  
But it did, and not only was it happening again, it was also twice as intense as the last events that taken place.  
  
Now, in comparison to said time, she could already feel the echo in her soul, like an open door, leading to a place, she could only dream of. The girl also had a war running towards her, unlike the butchery that she had ran away from, in the past. But the vampire couldn’t choose these things, could she now. She couldn’t choose, couldn’t change, could only run, as she witnessed the end of her world in the making.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I swear I am gonna make the story move now. I just need to develop it all. They are gonna meet soon, don't worry, it's just a slow burn. Plus, sorry for my total disregard to regular updating, it's just that a lot is going on in my life rn. Whoever is still with me, after this ONE MONTH wait for a new chapter, you are the best human ever, a million kudos for you. As always, see ya next chapter.
> 
> Tumblr: ari-is-a-bitchwitch  
> IG: yesda.fuckyeah


	6. Far away, yet closer than yesterday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Laura finally shares the big news with papa Hollis, and Carmilla is still on the run. Will the vampires get her?(Guess) Will Carmilla finally manage to get her emotions together?(No, obviously, where is the fun in that?)

_Her paws scraped the cold ground, once again, for the first time since all this mess was stirred up. Her breath came out raged and filled with agony, as she skipped over soft snow and ice, leaving only smudged paw marks in her path._

_The panther’s fur was on its ends, the sound of distant thunderous screams, striking her heart alive._

_She couldn’t choose, couldn’t change, and could only run, as she witnessed the end of her world in the making._

**\----------**

The snow covered evergreens blurred around Carmilla, as she sped trough the forest. Her feline form making no sound, except the soft noises of crushed snow underneath her heavy paws. She didn’t let herself feel the uncomfortable feeling of the cold in the bottom of her stomach, nor did she let herself take in her surroundings. The situation called for nothing but the vampire’s fear filled actions, her need of survival, and need of self defense against the incoming threat.

The smell of fresh snow and the sounds of her labored breathing were overpowered by the odor of cold bodies and the vibrations coming from the earth underneath Carmilla’s paws. The echo of the running creatures sent shivers up the vampire’s spine, but she managed to keep her cool for her own sake.

She had to run, she had to get away.

If not for herself, then for her soulmate.

**\----------**

Laura carefully sat down on the worn leather covered couch in the middle of her living room, being awfully aware of the painful twitch in her back area. She let out a tired sign, as her body settled.

It had been three days.

Three days of excitement, happiness, gentle caresses, and flowing butterflies.

Three days of anxiousness and guild coming from hiding her new world from her father, three days of her patience slowly chipping away, with every new wave of pain that stricked her shoulders, neck and back.

The poor girl couldn’t handle it anymore.

As Sherman sat beside her, she took it upon herself, that her soulmate couldn’t be hid anymore. Her eyes shifted to the man, and she prepared herself for what she had to say next.

“Dad, there is something I have to tell you. Actually a few things, but that’s beside the point.” – Her father gave her a curious look, but she continued none the less. – “I don’t know if you have noticed, but I have been acting a bit..off these last few days--”

That’s when she felt it.

Her soul tingled as if it was preparing her.

As if something was coming.

Lurking in the dark, something strong, bold and powerful, waiting to strike in the right moment.

Suddenly the echo of worry faded, and was immediately replaced by something else.

Fear. Panic. Frantic and rational emotions going up and down her body in waves.

Her eyes lost focus as tears welled up, making her vision blurry.

She could hear her heartbeat in her head, making her body stiff and frozen, ready to attack whatever was causing all those terrifying emoting.

The girl could barely make out the blurred figure of her dad move, coming closer, and his vague voice calling her.

But she could only let her eyes desperately try to grasp what they could espy, with her limited movement and lack of control. Her father’s voice was obviously getting louder, but it still felt as if in the distance, barely audible, yet the panic of it’s nature made another wave of shivers go up Laura’s spine.

Her body was into overdrive, and she could all but crumble into her dad’s arms, hyperventilating, with closely shut eyes. The darkness came over her, its arms in a tight embrace over her trembling form. She couldn’t tell whose those arms were exactly. Maybe her father’s. But they felt different.

They were thinner, gentle and fragile in comparison to her dad’s. Slim fingers, bruised knuckles, porcelain skin, distinguishable veins.

They crept over her body, leaving the ghost of goosebumps dancing on Laura’s exposed flesh.

In the distance the girl could feel her own screams, filling her head, clouding her thoughts, and escaping her lips. She knew the panic wasn’t hers.

She knew her soulmate was the one manufacturing all those feelings. But their souls were merged right? Emotions so bold and real. It was a simulation, but a real good one _darn_ it.

**\----------**

Carmilla could feel the fatigue and soreness flood her muscles. She knew she wouldn’t be able to hold on much longer, yet she was ready to milk her energy to the very last drop.

She could feel her soul throb, but control was out the window at this point. Her whole system was in autopilot.

She hated the irrational thinking of her panther, but it was what it was, and in all honesty, the vampire didn’t have a better plan, than the one at hand. Running, sniffing the air, spotting the incoming threat, and running faster. Repeat.

And they would repeat until there wasn’t enough energy to keep her panther up on it’s feet, and then they would crawl.

And when she wasn’t capable of doing that, she would defend.

With all she had left.

Because there simply was no other way.

There was no hiding, no running, no escaping the threat that was her mother. Even if she managed to get away this time, there would always be another one, worse than the last.

And as thoughts clouded her brain, she started feeling something different than her own panic. Something far, something so far, yet so familiar and close that she felt as if she could almost touch it.

It was an echo, the echo buried deep within her chest, but this time new and frightening.

It felt like two mirrors against each other, the same thing displayed, yet blurrier in each new reflection.

She realized that in the her hurry, she hadn’t managed to seclude her own feeling deep inside herself, away from the gaping hole that was her soul. All her emotions had travelled back to her soulmate, now pilling up between the duo.

Guilt surfaced in her chest, and no matter how swiftly she managed to push it away, it still send a replica back to the open hole, in the place where her lonely soul used to curl up.

Carmilla hated it.

The vampire hated being deprived of her privacy in such way, leaving no place to argue.

But that was the reality of it, and she had to deal with that.

Despite all the fear and regret pooling deep within her, she managed to force herself to comfort her soulmate, since the poor girl couldn’t possibly handle all that Carmilla had to offer.

In a few seconds she felt a thin string of a calm heartbeat come trough to the vampire’s acknowledgement. Signing in defeat, Carmilla forcefully shut off her feeling and accustomed herself to a familiar numbness that could at least protect her soulmate, if not her.

Her muscles didn’t seem to be at all bothered by the conflict happening in the vampire’s brain, as they send liquid fire trough that body of hers.

The panther let out a loud grunt of pain, as its muscles started cramping, and the whole animal collapsed mid-run. Its fur hit the cold snow, rolling a few times before coming to a halt at the base of one of the evergreens accommodating the forest.

The girl’s breath came in clouds, as the panther grimaced as its muscles flexed involuntary under the pressure and the aftershocks of its attempt of escape.

As Carmilla slowly came down from her high, she started getting all her senses back. Her ears could catch the not so distant cacophony that was the other vampires.

Now, it seems, would be a good time to send a message of apology to her soulmate.

**\----------**

Laura’s body slowly came back to itself, as soon as the sensation of gentle caresses came to her instead of the screaming fear and panic that had come upon her mere seconds ago.

Her dad seemed incredibly confused and scared as he held his daughter by the shoulders gently shaking her back to reality.

“Laur? Laura! What happened, are you ok? Do I need to call an ambulance? Oh god, I am calling an ambulance!” – he reached for his phone, but the girl in his strong hold swiftly took it from him.

“I am fine dad, nothing to worry about. It happens sometimes, or rather, it started happening since, well…” – she trailed off as she set her dad’s phone down next to the two.

“Since what?” – the man had an impatient look on his face, obviously still concerned for his daughter’s wellbeing.

“Since, well you see, since…” – she guiltily looked in her father’s direction. – “ Since I went trough the marking…” – a sly smile came over her face.

Sherman’s expression went full circle, from shocked, to happy, and finally to a rather grumpy looking one.

“Laura, honey” – he gave his daughter a warning look, and the girl’s gulp was audible as she prepped herself for what was to come.

Until her father’s face lit as if radiating joy, and he trapped Laura in one of his most powerful bear hugs.

“Well isn’t this news!” – his booming laugher filled the room.

Until a painful gasp came from his daughter.

As fast as he wrapped Laura in his arms, he pushed her back in front of him.

“Laur? Did I hurt you?” – his face showed nothing but pure concern, as he carefully scanned his daughter for any signs of danger, and his eyes landed on a rather sore blue bruise, barely noticeable underneath the girl’s shirt. A look of realization surfaced over the panic, and he carefully let go of Laura’s shoulders.

“Thanks dad, they are indeed, news, I suppose.” – the girl chuckled as she gently rubbed her neck where the bruise proudly shone on her skin. – “ Sorry I didn’t tell you earlier, I just kept it for the right moment. I guess it also, kind of, maybe, got on my nerves and I had to let it out.”

Her father nodded in understanding.

“The same happened to me and you grandpa. I hid my scars from him for two whole weeks, because I kept postponing it! He took it pretty well though.” – he looked in her direction with a smile on his face. – “So it’s the neck huh? Following in your pop’s footsteps I see!” – Sherman carefully patted his daughter on the knee as the two sat back down on the couch.

“Well in a way, yes, though..” – Laura fidgeted in her seat. “Id’s say that it would be a little more than the neck, dad.” – she looked in her father’s direction with a bashful smile.

Her father looked at her with a slight look of surprise.

“So, the shoulders too?” – he suggested.

Laura nodded, and made a sign for him to continue.

“…the upper back?” – the poor father looked pretty puzzled at this point.

“It covers my entire back dad.” – Laura patted her father on the shoulder.

“Your entire—“

“Yes. My entire back. Neck to tail. Whole spine. Whole package.” – Laura gave a look of confirmation to her old man.

He put his palm to his forehead and let out a shy breath.

“That has to be one very impressive soulmate you got there, honey.”

**\----------**

And impressive she was.

As the vibrations indicating the incoming threat started getting rather agressive, Carmilla’s fear started to slowly melt, getting replaced by anger.

Liquid rage running in between her infected blood.

Healing thorn muscle, and fueling the girl’s need of security.

Carmilla slowly stood up from her position on the snow covered ground, and shook herself of any remaining snowflakes covering her velvet black coat of fur.

Her eyes shone a glowing yellow, the only part of her that wasn’t prickled fur and flexed muscles.

If she was going down, she would do it with a fight.

Soon enough the pulsing of the ground beneath her secure paws started to cease as shadows moved from shade to light in front of the vampire. Slowly a group of about twenty different creatures formed a circle around Carmilla, hissing, scratching and howling at the panther.

Most varied between different big cats and wild dogs, suggesting which generation the vampires were from. Between them stood only one other panther with glowing red eyes, staring straight at Carmilla’s own yellow ones. The animal slowly made its way to the front of the circle, alongside a beaten up looking wolf, their jet black coats the only distinguishing feature between real animals and vampires.

Carmilla’s pupils dilated in fear, yet the fire in her body didn’t go out the slightest, as she moved back from the duo closing in on her. The big black cat and a few other vampires hissed at the scared panther. With a fling of her tail, the matted fur of the red eyed beast started sinking into itself, getting replaced by silky dark skin, covered in bruises and scars, which only added to its beauty.

Soon after all of the other vampires transformed into their human-like form, a sign of non aggressive behavior, as if exposing themselves to the only other animal between them.

Carmilla’s flexed muscles soon relaxed as her eyes darted around the snow covered ground and then back to the crowd in front of her. She could sense the calm breaths of the vampires, each one’s eyes fixed on her, with a sort of numbness replacing the usual glow that humans had. The others were by no means giving off any kind of hostility, rather a welcome instead. They weren’t here to fight Carmilla, or to hurt her, and somehow that made the vampire feel exposed, and her fear became a weakness instead of a survival function.

With a low rumble in her chest, she slowly went back from having black fur and yellow eyes, to a contrasting pale white skin and raven irises. Her frame was shaking, muscles still in shock, yet something inside her still made her feel safe, feel home.

Since now, home could not be a place but a feeling instead. A “someone”, far, far away, who, with only a beat, could light up her life.

She managed to ground herself though, despite her inner self being a total mess. Carmilla’s eyes traveled up, numb and emotionless, and as they landed on a pair of equally shut out brown ones, her lips curled up in an empty smile.

_“Hello, Mattie.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OUFF,,,,WELP  
> Sorry for the wait everyone, I really didn't anticipate this FREAKING ONE MONTH HIATUS, WOW.  
> Though like, other big WOW, is that,,,we hit 1000 reads, THANK YOU SOOOO MUCH.  
> I never though i could get such recognition, i love you all. See ya pretty soon!  
> (did all of you guess that it was Mattie though, like, i really tried but it was way too obvious,so,,)


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